Smlondon11
Chirping
- Apr 28, 2019
- 16
- 23
- 61
I have 2 pekins, 1 drake and 1 hen that are about two years old. This year I incubated some of their eggs and kept 2 of the ducklings. I allowed them to free range with the older ducks from about 3 weeks on, they'd sleep in their coop with them and eat from the same bowl and seemed to get along well enough without any major issues.
The ducklings are now about 10 weeks old and full size. I noticed that one, which I THOUGHT was a male based on its sound, had a bloody eye and missing feathers on its head. I thought that the older drake had maybe been picking on it. Then I caught him on top of it in the pool, holding the young one's head under the water. It was very similar to the position he takes with the hen, except he didn't bend his own bum back to meet and kept its head under for a concerning amount of time. Do drakes act like that to show dominance to males or does this mean it is a female?
Now I've noticed that the other young one's head is getting worn too like he's been trying to mate it (I do think this one is a female). I've added chicks to my flock plenty of times and never known the roosters to try to mate until the hens were of laying age so I'm confused and worried if my drake is too aggressive. I'm familiar with rooster behavior but have never had other ducks and would like to understand his behavior.
The ducklings are now about 10 weeks old and full size. I noticed that one, which I THOUGHT was a male based on its sound, had a bloody eye and missing feathers on its head. I thought that the older drake had maybe been picking on it. Then I caught him on top of it in the pool, holding the young one's head under the water. It was very similar to the position he takes with the hen, except he didn't bend his own bum back to meet and kept its head under for a concerning amount of time. Do drakes act like that to show dominance to males or does this mean it is a female?
Now I've noticed that the other young one's head is getting worn too like he's been trying to mate it (I do think this one is a female). I've added chicks to my flock plenty of times and never known the roosters to try to mate until the hens were of laying age so I'm confused and worried if my drake is too aggressive. I'm familiar with rooster behavior but have never had other ducks and would like to understand his behavior.
